How Celebrities Get Flawless Oscars Skin

On most Sundays, waking up with a pimple isn't the end of the world—dab a little zit cream on it, throw on a pair of sunglasses, and you're good to go. But when you're a celebrity, a morning breakout on the day of the Oscars isn't an option. That's why celebrities trust their skin to Faith Tatro, a Los Angeles-based medical aesthetician and owner of Touch of Faith Aesthetics. "My busiest season is January through March," Tatro says. Although she won't divulge the names of her clients, Kate Bosworth and Drew Barrymore are rumored to be among her A-list fans.

Tatro, who puts her celebrity clients through the "Full Red Carpet Treatment" deep cleanses pores three weeks before the event to remove any congestion that might cause a breakout later. Three days before, she polishes skin with red LED, a light therapy that stimulates collagen, shrinks pores, and heals broken capillaries. And the treatment doesn't stop at the face and neck—Tatro can spend up to four hours prepping her female clients. "If she's wearing a short dress, we'll do the legs, too," Tatro says. "Anything done on the face can be done on the body." (Full-body services cost around $850 dollars.)

Tatro sends celebs home with her "Special Mixer," a skincare concoction so hush-hush, she wouldn't even name one of its three active ingredients. "If anything comes up, they dab it on that spot and it clears up in a matter of hours," she says.

She plans on selling her secret weapon to the public later this year—until then, if you find yourself battling a zit the day of a big event, steer clear of typical acne treatments, she says. "If you use a drying agent, you're going to have a difficult time covering the blemish with makeup," she says. (The zit will become parched and flaky, which is harder to hide.) When time is a factor, it's better to focus on finding the perfect concealer shade—then, worry about treating the pimple out the next day.

Have you ever woken up with a zit on the day of a big event? What did you do?